Probe of Abuja explosions to extend beyond Boko Haram

Security agaents may be looking beyond the Boko Haram sect in their investigation into weekend’s explosions in Kuje and Nyanya in Abuja, The Nation learnt yesterday.

“It may be an opportunistic crime by people with other motives. Boko Haram is not ruled out but nothing is also ruled out. It’s investigation that can determine the true situation and the investigation is in full swing,” a security source said.

Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir Lawal and Chief of Staff to the President Abba Kyari led the government team to the explosion site on Saturday.

Yesterday, security agents were still combing the Kuje site for evidence. The place remained cordoned off. No activities were allowed. Residents and pedestrians were still shocked. No fewer than 20 people died from the explosions. The 41 injured are being treated in hospitals.

Vehicles coming into the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were being thoroughly searched. Security operatives at checkpoints within the city especially those along the Airport road

At the Giri junction through to the Airport Express way, there was traffic hold up as a resut of the search.

Vehicles spent close to 45 minutes to pass thorough the military checkpoint.

Churches within the city and the satellite towns yesterday strengthened security.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) also suggested that security should not limit the investigation to Boko Haram.

In a statement yesterday, NLC President Ayuba Wabba said: “Our security agencies should not limit their intelligence or investigation to Boko Haram as there have also been recent reports that some militant groups in the Niger Delta region planned to resume violent attacks against Nigerians and the Nigerian State as a corporate entity.”

The statement added: “The attacks may have been a devious façade to rubbish the victories of our national army and other security agencies in the battle to rid our country of terrorism and all its residues before the global community. They want the world to believe our country is not safe.

“For us at the Nigeria Labour Congress, we believe this latest attacks should not weaken the morale of the forces involved in the battle against terrorism in our country, rather it should reinvigorate their fighting spirit and be seen by government as a challenge to arm our forces with more sophisticated and superior weapons both for intelligence gathering and combat.

“Beyond these, we urge our government to order the immediate reinvestigation, arrest and prosecution of all those previously indicted of sponsoring terror gangs, especially Boko Haram and other such violent groups in any part of the country.

“The freedom of those who sponsor deadly violence put the entire country seated on timed bombs that can explode at will. No matter how highly placed, whoever have been indicted should immediately be apprehended and reinvestigated now.

“We urge all Nigerians to see the battle against terrorism as our collective battle and therefore every resident must make information about suspicious movements or behaviours in and around them available to relevant security agencies who must act on such information in our collective national interests.

“We condole with the families of all the victims of these attacks and urge government to ensure provision of the best medical attention and treatment for the injured.”

To the NLC, bombings “obviously by decimated terrorists” are a call for communal vigilance by all residents. “It has become obvious that since the massive pounding of the sanctuaries of the terrorists, fragments of the terror cliques may have organised smaller cells in communities hitherto thought not to be vulnerable.

“These latest attacks are particularly dangerous as they were carried out at night and in locations where late purchases are made. One of the locations, Kuje, is on the route to our major international airport,” the NLC said.